BRK PROJECT: Soul of Fire
by ReeseXx
Summary: Modern AU/Human!Dragons: Astrid and her sister Stella (Stormfly), returned to Berk under their grandfather's request: they would enter The Berk Academy-a prestigious school for warriors, as a part of their deal to claim their inheritance as the heiresses of the Hofferson clan. They discovered that they got more than what they bargained for, whether they like it or not.
1. Chapter 1: Home

Author's Note: Here is the first full chapter of the story! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD and it's characters! All credit goes to Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks Animation studios!

Please Review!

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Home**

"Today feels different. Oh, I forgot. It's _that_ day."

A slender and pale arm stretched out of the blanket and groped the floor for clothes that were scattered around. A mop of messy striking blonde head popped out from under the tangle of blankets and pillows, and groggily looked around.

"Damn it," she yawned while observing the mess she's caught up in. She sat up, winced, as she was sore from last night's escapade.

*Durrrr-Durrrr-Dur* the phone beside her vibrated violently. She fished it out lazily and stared at the screen.

 _Astrid Calling_ …

"Shit," she gasped. She was suddenly knocked back into reality- _today is the day!_ She clumsily fumbled with her phone and pressed the accept button. "Hey, sis." She greeted, her voice slurry because of sleep and intoxication.

"Don't hey me!" the girl on the other line snapped back at her. "Where the hel are you, Stella! Our flight will be in an hour!"

"Sorryyyy," Stella tried to compose herself. But, the alcohol inside her system was luring her back to Lala land. " _Damn it, alcohol!"_ she mentally kicked herself.

"You've been drinking again, haven't you?" Astrid asked her accusingly. Stella shook her head to disagree, but she realized that Astrid was over the phone.

"N-No. I just came by to visit…Jasper." She lied with a raspy voice. Her head was throbbing and her throat was parched, she needed water _pronto_. Stella looked around and rubbed her eyes awake while she stifled a yawn. She spied her sweater a few feet away from her, and crawled towards it.

"Liar! Your voice betrays you." Her sister screeched. Astrid was busy taping the last boxes shut. "Gods Stella! Not only you drank your life away, but you also slept with your idiotic boyfriend!"

Stella rolled her eyes and groaned. This is the last thing she needs right now. She sat up and looked for her shorts among the mess on the floor. She searched under the bed and fished out the other pair of her socks.

"Are you listening to me?!" She forgot that Astrid was still on the line. Stella placed the phone on mattress and pulled up her hair in a messy bun. "See you later, sis. I'll be there in 10!"

"What? –Hey!" Astrid protested. But the other line went blank. "Oh Freya," she grumbled under breath.

Stella quickly hung up the call and plopped back on the floor with a sigh. She massaged her temples and let out a low grumble of irritation. The day hasn't even started yet, but it was already stressing her out.

"Was that Astrid?" a gruff voice came from the bed on top of her. Kneeling beside the bed, she propped her arms on the mattress to support herself. "Did I wake you up?" she grinned at boy that in sat front of her and smiled at him sheepishly.

"Well after all that bickering, who wouldn't be?" the guy named Jasper chuckled. He stared at Stella with droopy eyes. "What a night," he whistled. "Oh hush," Stella threw some clothes at him and laughed.

"Come on, I'll drive you home. Astrid might really kill me if you missed your flight." Jasper offered. He jumped off the bed, exposing his toned tanned upper torso. His sandy blonde hair disheveled from sleep.

Stella shamelessly gawked at him. Her boyfriend was a masterpiece and it was a sight to behold so early in the morning. " _If only he wasn't a total asshole then he would be perfect_ " She thought to herself. "Stel?" Jasper called her out of her reverie. He already slipped on a loose t-shirt, which hid the craft of his body. " _Oh, what a waste,"_ Stella bit her lip in annoyance as remembered what she needed to do.

"Great Odin," Astrid groaned when she saw Stella lumbering up the stairs of their flat with Jasper following behind. She swiftly opened the door and side-stepped to let her sister in with a scowl plastered on her face.

"You better have a good explanation for this." Astrid hissed at her. Stella returned the greeting with a sweet smile and shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. She skipped in the house humming an upbeat tune. Astrid then turned her icy glare to the boy in front of her.

"Sorry Astrid, We got carried away last night... I was supposed to bring her home but-," Jasper started, awkwardly scratching the tip of his nose in front the she-dragon.

"But you messed up and banged her instead? Yeah, I get it! What's new?" Astrid spat out seething. Jasper awkwardly laughed at her comeback. "Look, I know you don't really like me for Stella. But I didn't have sex with her last night… I-I couldn't take advantage of her." Astrid eyed him incredulously. "Oh, really?" she snorted sarcastically. She wouldn't buy his bullshit of an excuse. "Yeah, swear." Jasper bit. "Sure, whatever Jas. Now, get your ass off here." Jasper groaned and mumbled a curse word under his breath as he plodded back to his car.

Jasper Maxwell, the VIP football player at their school, was known to be an infamous ladies man who practically slept with half of the popular ladies in school. Except for Astrid, she doesn't count because: 1.) She's the unreachable ice queen, 2.) Stella is her sister, and 3.) She loathes the stereotypical dumb jocks. Stella only let him become her boyfriend because he swore he's going to be loyal to her, and that she just wanted to mess around with the hottest guy in the campus.

* * *

It was half-passed 12 when they got to the airport, barely missing their flight by the hair. London's traffic was excruciating slow for that morning. Stella and Astrid plopped down on their seats, with an audible sigh of relief.

"You just have to cut it close, don't you?" Astrid grumbled under her breath, while fumbling with the seatbelts.

"But we made it, and that's what matters!" Stella chirped and gave her sister a mischievous grin. But secretly, she was hoping that they missed the flight. Astrid rolled her eyes at her and chose to stare ahead, where the stewardess was demonstrating the emergency safety procedures in case of a plane crash.

The seatbelt sign lit up signaling that the plane will be preparing for take off. Stella's head was resting on the back of her hand, which was propped up in the armrest. She watched the other airplanes swoop in and take off at her window seat. Their plane started to depart from its parking and slowly moved to the taxing lane.

" _This is it. Goodbye London, goodbye life. Goodbye, Jasper." She_ thought to herself bitterly and let out an exasperated sigh. Astrid gave Stella's free hand a gentle squeeze, "I know this is hard for you sis, but we're finally going home." The girl gave her melancholy sister an encouraging smile.

"We're already home, Astrid. This is our home! _LONDON,_ not Berk." Stella snapped. Astrid just sighed and patted her sister's hand, "It's not so bad, Trust me." The plane suddenly came into a halt, and in few minutes, the sisters' backs dug into their seats as the plane accelerated and finally took off the lane.

The city's silhouette grew smaller and smaller until the blurry speck disappeared into oblivion, and was replaced by fluffy clouds.

London was her home for as long as she can remember. The thought of leaving everything behind made her sick. It wasn't only that her life was there…it was also her comfort zone. Berk on the other hand, was completely foreign to her. She only visited the island twice in her entire existence because of her grandparents, which didn't even last a week.

All she knew about it was, it was where they lived before and it was where she and sister were born. She has some bits of memory, but it was all a blur. Astrid was already around five years old when their parents decided to move to UK. She was the only one who had some childhood memories of the place. Stella was only three then, and her first memories of childhood that she considered were from Cambridge. When she turned 13, they moved to London's city proper, which she considered as her hometown.

 _4 hours later…_

"Time check: In a few minutes we will be approaching Berk. Please stay on your seats as we make the final descend. Thank you for flying Odin Air, as we wish to travel with you again. Have pleasant stay here on Berk." The pilot announced through the speaker. The stewardesses started to clear out the remaining trash, and assisted the passengers to take their seats for the landing.

Stella rubbed her eyes awake with a yawn. After a stretch, she peered out of her window and noticed the sky was dyed in multiple shades of yellow, orange, and pink. The sun was starting to set, and from a distance, she could see the rough outline of the island. She turned to her side, and saw Astrid's sleeping form. Her sister was wearing a sleeping mask with panda eyes, and was lightly snoring.

"Sis, wake up! We're near." She gently roused her up. Astrid stirred, and swatted her sister's hand away. "Wake me, when we're there…" she slurred.

"Fine." Stella rolled her eyes. The island silhouette was growing bigger and bigger in seconds through her window seat. She could feel the pressure as the plane started to descend. At last she could see the rocky terrain, cluster of houses, buildings, forests, and the fields, all coming into view more clearly. Unlike London that boasts with modernization, Berk Island was quaint. It's a mixture of an old town with massive stone buildings, lack of skyscrapers and no fancy light shows, but it wasn't so out of date either. It looks like a perfect place for weekend vacations if you want to get away from the hubbub of the city life.

The plane landed smoothly and continued to glide to an available parking space. As soon as everything was set, the doors were opened.

"We're back!" Astrid grinned to her sister as she stepped out the airport, and excitedly ran ahead to where a black W211 Mercedes-Benz was waiting for them.

" _Berk, twelve days north of hopelessness and a few degrees south of freezing death, which snows nine months of the year and hails the other three. Great, just great."_ Stella sulkily muttered to herself as she trudged into the snowy path towards the vehicle.

With a grim face, she threw her bags inside and quickly boarded the car before she froze to death. She was surprised to see the driver and Astrid smiling at her.

"Ready to go home?" Astrid nudged her sister on the arm.

"Can't wait." Stella replied sarcastically.

* * *

The black Mercedes-Benz revved up the hill snaking its way to the natural curves of the terrain. Berk's airport was located at foot of the mountain. Located at the other side, is where the island's town proper nestles between the lush forests and vast clearings. It's been at least 30 minutes since they left the airport. The vehicle crossed a tunnel that's been carved into the middle of the mountain. Upon reaching the end of the shaft, Stella could see a suspension bridge made of heavy steel, with a monumental sign that says "Welcome to Berk" perched on top of it. Underneath the bridge, a broad river cascades down towards the sea. The forest soon started to dissipate, and was replaced by stonewalled houses, age-old buildings, and cobbled streets. It travelled its way down town, where the buildings and houses became more modernized with each passing. There were different-sized malls, theater houses, supermarkets, and boutique shops. They passed by the city hall and paved its way towards the uptown part of the island.

The Hofferson manor was located in a subdivision at the heart of the uptown along with chateaus, manors, and villas that housed Berk's oldest and privileged clans. Security personnel patrolled in rounds and stood guard to the entrance of the gated community. The driver, named Garth, still marveled at the subdivision even if he had been serving the Hofferson master for nearly a month. He looked at the rear view mirror and surveyed his passengers, who chatted idly at the back of the car. Both were a looker: golden hair and delicate features, but they were also different from one another.

As the first born, Astrid didn't care much about the status the quo that her family name held. Dressed in regular oversized dark blue hoodie, black skinny pants, and some pair of grey Nike running shoes, she didn't exude the presence of an heiress. Stella on the other hand, was quite dressed for the part. She was wearing a signature baby pink Chanel shift dress, an expensive-looking camel-colored vintage cropped cape, brown Tory Burch ballerina flats, that was paired with a Prada handbag. Everything about her screams daddy's little princess. Unlike Astrid, Stella reveled in all things pretty and being dotted on, but never resulted to being brat.

The car pulled up in front of a tall iron gate, Garth punched a button underneath the rear view mirror. Within seconds, the gate creaked open and the car drove up the crescent-shaped cobblestone driveway, until it reached the main entrance of brown brick-walled manor. Ivy vines snaked on the walls, while moss formed into its crevices. The three-story Victorian house stood erect in the middle of the property.

"We're here! Pay no mind to your luggage, girls. I'll be the one delivering them inside." The driver killed the engine and stepped out of the car. As practiced, he immediately opened Astrid's door.

"You don't have to do that, I can do it myself." Astrid told him, collecting her backpack from her seat, and walked towards the trunk and began unloading their luggage. Stella got out afterwards after smoothing out her dress.

"Thanks Garth, but Astrid's right. We can do this ourselves." Stella chimed in and went beside her sister, and helped her unload the rest of their suitcases. Garth gave the two girls incredulous looks. "I'm sorry mistresses, but the master explicitly said…"

Astrid and Stella exchanged knowing looks and sighed. "Fine. You can bring our stuff inside. But no more of this opening doors and mistress crap. It feels and sounds _weird_." The older sister acquiesced. Stella nodded her head in agreement, "We're not heiresses yet. As of now, we're just ordinary people from London who happen to live in this lame looking house."

This humored Garth immensely and let out a hearty chuckle. "Got it." came his reply. Pleased that he understood what they meant, the two sisters trotted to the main door. As if on cue, the door opened and a small lady in her early 50's stepped out to greet them. "You're finally here! Come inside, and make yourselves comfortable. I'm so happy to see you lassies again." The girls gave out their thanks and exchanged a few pleasantries with the aging maidservant who ushered them inside.

* * *

Dressed in her bathing robe, Astrid stepped out of the shower, feeling rejuvenated from the tiredness she felt during their flight. She wrapped her towel on her hair in a makeshift turban, and ransacked her luggage for some pajamas. She settled on her red-plaid fleece ones and quickly dressed herself. She crossed her room to the other side and knocked on the door of the adjoined room.

"Stel, you done?" she called out. "In a minute!" a muffled voice at the other side of the room replied. Three minutes passed, a series of knocks coursed through Astrid's main door. "Astrid, Stella, dinner!" the maidservant's rang out in the hallway. "Okay, done!" Stella bolted out of the other door in a disheveled state. She sported an oversized knitted sweater and some grey sweatpants. Astrid raised her eyebrows at her. "What happened to you?" Stella shook her head and blew a strand of hair out of her face "You don't wanna know."

The girls followed the maidservant, known as Ingrid, to the family's dinning hall. Already seated at the table was an elderly couple. The man, who was broad and authoritative-looking, was sitting at the head of the table, and towered over the delicate-figured woman, who was sitting right beside him.

"Uncle Finn! Aunt Helga!" The girls cried in unison and rushed to the couple. The two elders enveloped their arms around the sisters and pulled them into a tight hug, while the sisters simultaneously kissed their cheeks as greeting.

Finnick or generally known as Finn Hofferson, is not only the head of the Hofferson clan, but he was also a well-known Admiral for his unbreakable strategies that led Berk's navy battalion towards countless of victories. Helga on the other hand, was a revered Colonel who aided peace wars among the neighboring islands. The Hofferson clan stood by their warrior bloodline and continued to serve the island until to the present day. Finn and Helga took Sassa (Astrid and Stella's mother) in, as their own daughter when her parents died in a freak accident when she was seven. Finn was devastated when his brother died, and took it upon himself to be the parent figure, as he groomed Sassa to be the heiress of the clan. What he didn't foresee, that his adoptive daughter and niece would follow her biological father's steps, along with her husband, in a few years after the birth of her last child.

"I'm so glad you two are finally with us. It always pains to see me that my granddaughters are so far away from me." Helga clapped her hands together. "Nonsense Helga, the girls can fend for themselves." Her husband interjected in a booming voice. "But likewise, I am glad to see you lassies here with us. Heiresses of the Hofferson clan should not be left alone doing god knows what." The girls rolled their eyes and groaned in annoyance. They loved their grandfather but he was overbearing and traditional.

"Finnick!" Helga chided her husband. "The girls haven't stayed here for a day and you're already rumbling about that! Give it a rest, would you?"

"I'm just pointing out facts, Helga. As soon they understood their place, it would be easier for all of us to train them." Finn retorted, gobbling up a piece of lamb. Aunt Helga massaged her temples. "Fine," came her curt reply. She turned to the girls who were sitting parallel to her. "When will you start unpacking? Your boxes have not been opened yet."

Astrid shrugged, "It's not like we're staying here anyway. We'll be moving by Saturday, right _granddad_?" she let the words roll out with contempt and chomped on her chips distastefully. Stella busied herself with her steak, not looking up from her plate.

Finn Hofferson let out an exasperated sigh. "Astrid, we've been over _this_. If you want your inheritance, you have to enroll in that school or I'll be forced to marry the two of you off."

"We don't need the inheritance, and you know it. We are perfectly capable of living by ourselves." She bit. Helga and Stella just watched the exchange in apprehension.

"That's enough, lass! I do not need this rebellious attitude from you. If you don't abide by the conditions, I will not only take away your inheritance, but I will also see to it that you're cut off from the Hofferson clan and your parents' trust fund!" The burly man bellowed.

"You can't do that!" Astrid screeched as she stood up from her seat. "That's our parent's money!"

"That money came from our clan and as the head of this family, I have all the right. So yes, I can." Finn replied dryly, and took a swig of the wine in his goblet. Astrid gritted her teeth, and glared at the man. Finn gestured to her seat, "If you don't have anything else to say, resume your dinner, lass."

"I'm not hungry." Astrid growled. She threw the napkin on the table and walked away, as she reached the doorway, her head snapped back towards Finn, "I wish they never died, she would never approve of this." And with that she disappeared into the hallway.

Silence fell to those who were left at the table. "I'll see how Astrid's doing," Stella quietly excused herself, not giving her grandparents a second look. As soon as she also disappeared from the hallway, Finn rubbed his temples, "Stubborn just like her mother…" he muttered to himself bitterly. Helga gave Finn's forearm a gentle squeeze. Finn was looking down at his plate in silence with a forlorn expression on his face. "I also wish that they didn't." he whispered, grief evident in his voice. "I know." Helga gave him a sad smile.

"It's my fault, I should have never let them leave. They'll never forgive me when they find out what happened." Finn buried his face on the palm of his hands. Helga stood up and wrapped her arms around the man. "You can only pray, when that time comes." Finn held tighter to his wife, and nodded. " _Oh Sassa, my little girl. I am so sorry."_

"What was that?" Stella opened the door to Astrid's room. Her elder sister was having a fit and was literally thrashing her room. A grunt was her only reply. "That was uncalled for, you know." Stella chided her sister and sat the edge of the bed. Astrid crossed her arms and huffed, "What he did was uncalled for. I can't believe you're taking his side, right now. Are you for real?"

Stella twirled a loose strand of her hair with her pointer finger, "Don't be a bitch, A. You know that I'm always behind you 101%." She then glared at her sister. "But exploding like that wouldn't do any good. As much as we like to say we don't want the inheritance, we need it."

Astrid threw her arms up in the air and let out an aggravated scream. "I hate it when you're right." she hissed at her sister. Stella just smirked, "Prove him wrong, then." This time Astrid gave Stella a cheshire-like grin, "Oh hel, you bet sis. Hel, you bet."

* * *

 ***Mailbag time!**

 **CerebralCortex31** \- Thank you for giving this story a shot! I hope you would enjoy the succeeding chapters as the story unfolds!

 **Comic Kazii-** What's up, man! Thanks for the wonderful review! I try to improve my grammar as hard as I can! Glad that you noticed that. Hehe.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Re-uploaded chapter. Added some minor details, and fixed some of the grammar.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Playdate with Destiny**

Stella bobbled out of the house carrying a large brown box taped shut. She sported an oversized flannel shirt, black leggings, and white sneakers. Her golden locks were tied up in a messy hair bun, some stray stands framing the sides of her face. Both of her ears were plugged in with earphones. She hummed to the tune as she loaded the box in the trunk of the black W211 Mercedez-Benz. "All clear!" she called out and closed the lid. Garth just finished polishing the hood. "Thanks for your help, Ms. Stella." he thanked her with a warm smile.

The main door flew open and Finn, garbed in his Admiral uniform, stepped out with Astrid following behind. She was wearing a casual t-shirt and light denim shorts. Her hair was gathered in a long plait. "I'll meet first with the Mayor, then I'll see you girls at Academy after lunch." Finn straightened up his tie and smoothened out his cuffs. "Be on your best behavior. Remember, you are carrying our name and I don't expect less from you. " He added.

"Yes, granddad." Both girls replied in monotone. Finn gave them a small wave, and then quickly boarded the car. Garth started engine and the black Mercedes-Benz pulled away from the driveway. As soon the car disappeared into view the two girls went back inside the house.

(…)

"I thought Berk was out of date, but this is. Just. _BRILL_." Stella gasped at the station. Its walls and floors were made out Italian black marble. On the ceiling, was a mammoth mural of the realm of Asgard, and hanging from it were rows and rows of golden chandeliers. The ticket booths were stretched out across on one side of the wall, and a 3-inch thick and 4x5 glass panel divided the officers from the outside world. Stella thought that the station could pass off as museum lobby at the Louvre.

Helga dropped them off at the main subway station to board the train to the Academy. While Berk boasts of its main source of income: militarization and trading services; the Hooligans (locals of Berk) were also surprisingly excellent builders and craftsmen.

The subway, or what the locals call "The Loch," is a bullet train and the most prized possession of the island. It travels around 300 km/ph, which rivals Japan's Shinkansen. What's truly fascinating about their subway train system is it travels underwater to access Berk's other sovereign islands in the archipelago.

The train and its passageway were built from Grade-A materials shipped all the way from Japan, UK, and America. It's architecture and technology plans were scrutinized up until to the very miniscule detail. During its construction, the project heads kept a close eye and assured that everything sticks with the plan. Its initial test drive had taken them a good year and a half before they released it to the public. The Loch brought the main island lots of good fortune and soon it expanded from one island to another, also expanding Berk's income as it utilized its neighboring islands for business expansions.

Astrid jogged back to Stella and handed her ticket. The two girls plowed through the crowd and craned their necks to find their designated waiting area. The train wouldn't be around for at least 15 minutes, so the girls decided to lounge around the nearby café and busied themselves with their phones as they waited for their ride.

The Loch arrived right on schedule. As soon as the girls boarded the train and settled on their seats, Astrid couldn't help but marvel at the interior. The upholstery looked like an airline's first-class cabin: two large seats at each side of the carpeted aisle. A small table filled with refreshments flanked the sides of the seats. The train was divided into 3 departments: Economy, Business, and Carriages. Astrid and Stella were seated in the business section. The Economy section is the equivalent of business class in an airline. The Carriages were small rooms that housed a single bed, television, refrigerator, and a square desk that is commonly booked for long travels.

It took them nearly two and a half hour to reach their destination. An official Academy tram picked them up along with the other students at the station. After the roll call, the vehicle took off the road.

"Next stop, The Berk Academy. It'll be a 15-minute ride. Please settle down on your seats until we reach our destination. Thank you. " A robotic voice instructed in a monotone.

The Berk Academy is huge was an understatement. The prestigious academy is located in a 120-hectare island away from Berk's main island. The school and its grounds claimed 30-hectares of the land. The Academy has a dome-shaped building was encased in walls of an old castle. Its main entrance or the gateway, used massive pieces of black granite slabs that bricked its walls, and it stood 40-ft erect from the ground. Columns made out different minerals, stones, and iron towered each of the corners of the walls.

"Approaching main building," The robotic voice droned again through the speakers. The tram paused in front of a massive iron gate. After a few seconds, a thundering screech was heard and the gate slowly opened. The tram proceeded inside without a word from the driver, and soon the dome-shaped building appeared in a distance in its full glory.

From the center of its roof, was a statue of a black dragon. It was sprawled on its stomach-a reversed spreadeagle, its head fixed at direction of the main gateway. The dragon's hand and legs were extended in four directions: each reached at the base of the dome, which served as the building's main pillars. It looks like as if the dragon is going to take off, carrying the dome with it. The other parts of the dome building were filled with stained-glass panels and black heavy iron-grills from the roof to the ground.

The tram stopped in front of dome. Just like in the main entrance, its walls were also made from slabs of black stone. It stood imposing on its own and sent out an unwelcoming vibe.

Stella gaped at the edifice in awe from her window seat. The school she went to London could easily fit inside the main building itself. "Come on, girl. We don't want to be late." Astrid called out, standing off her seat and dismounted the vehicle. Stella followed suit.

As soon as the last student disembarked the vehicle, the tram took off and went back to gated entrance and soon disappeared into view. A bulky-looking man with blond hair and beard greeted the students and quickly ushered them in.

They were led into a Great Hall. Unlike it's stony and cold exterior, inside radiated with warmth and cozy vibe. Just like a log cabin in the middle of the woods.

Stella quietly surveyed the place. She was sitting beside Astrid who looked bored beyond her wits and was scrolling through her phone listlessly to pass time.

"This is pointless," Astrid complained. "We've been sitting here for at least an hour and half already and-." As if on cue, a burly woman emerged from the door on the other side of the threshold.

"Greetings!" The woman called out. "Sorry, I was late. I had to finish some tasks." She apologized in between breaths to the students who gathered in front of her. Stella and Astrid stayed behind the crowd, not moving from their seats.

The woman was at least 6ft in height and her dark brown hair was neatly organized in a bun. Her brown eyes, radiated with wisdom and warmth under her vintage square-shaped frames. She was dressed in long-sleeved dark-grey wool tunic dress that reached up to her knees, black leggings, and brown flats to finish her ensemble. On her neck, hung several layers of necklaces made of gold, silver, and different pendants made out of precious stones.

"First of all, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Phlegma Fierce, aside to be your biology professor, I will also be your guidance counselor." she smiled warmly at the crowd. Phlegma looked at least in her late 40's for there are streaks of grey on her dark brown hair. "If you have any questions, whatever it is, do not hesitate to come up to me and I will gladly answer them for you."

Astrid and Stella exchanged knowing looks. "Home sweet home, alright." Astrid snickered. "Berk has the most weirdest names." Stella agreed with an amused chuckle.

Phlegma gracefully crossed to the other side of the room, until she stopped in front of a massive intricately designed two-door, made out of red oak. She dug around her pockets and fished out a 3-inch black iron key. The students watched her every move without a peep. Without missing a beat, she inserted the key and opened the door. With a thundering creak, Phlegma turned to the students and beckoned them to her.

"Come on now, lads and lassies. Follow me." She disappeared into the doorway and passed through the doors. The students flocked the doorway, with the sisters following behind. The students pooled inside another room. Opposed to the Great Hall they were in a few minutes ago, the new area looked barren, except for four strange looking chairs that squat at the middle.

"Berk Academy or also know as The Academy, is the biggest and oldest school here in Berk. I think most, if not, all of you know that this is a prestigious school and not everyone can enter." "So do you know why?" Phelgma asked the crowd as soon as they have settled down in the center of the stonewalled room.

"Professor Fierce," A girl about 13 years old raised her hand, and Phlegma acknowledged her with a nod. "It is either by legacy, or association." She answered. The Professor gave her an approved grin.

"That is correct. But contrary to the common notion, it is more than that. Even if you're not a legacy, nor you were recommended, you can still enter the school. It is not limited to those two options only. Here in Berk, what we look for is talent. And of course, passion." She added. The students erupted in a chorus of whispers and hushed gossips.

"Any more questions?" Phlegma surveyed the crowd, "Okay, sit back and relax because your ride is about to start. I want you to form four lines please." The students did as what they were told and formed four lines without much of a protest.

"Before we send you off in your merry ways, we have to catalogue you first." Phelgma looked up from her tablet that she was holding. "It is quite hard to explain, but let me show you."

"The seats you see here are advanced in technology, there will be some test to define who you are and where you will be placed. Think of it as a personality exam. Just relax and it'll give the best results."

The chairs already looked strange and alarming from a distance, but upon closer inspection it looked way worse. Stella scrunched up her nose trying to decipher the strange object in front of her. It looked like something out of Frankenstein's lab. The four chairs were seated together side by side. Four-overturned olive green glass-bowls was hanging on top of each with different-sized and colored wires sticking out on its sides, connecting it to the machine behind the chairs. They look like an old-fashion electric chair, ready to fry their brains out.

"This is my assistant, her name is Mildred. She will be helping me to assist in this test." Dr. Phlegma ushered a petite curvy girl with curly chestnut brown hair and tan skin to take a seat on the chair. Stella internally cringed at sight.

Mildred wordlessly followed Phlegma's command and instantaneously sat on one of the chairs and fitted the glass gear into her head. The machine behind her roared to life, emitting a sound of static and gears whirring. A few minutes later, the machine's light bulbs lit in different colors. And robotic voice broke the silence that settled into the room. "Results: Stand by." The light bulbs lit again in succession.

"Boulder, Gronkle." The machine's voice droned on. "Dreki." It added. The machine then simmered down, indicating the test was over. Mildred gently lifted the fragile gear off her head and rose up from her seat. She then took the position beside Dr. Phlegma, staring into the crowd with a small smile gracing her delicate features.

"You might be wondering what those group of words mean. Let me break it down for you, the first word is Boulder. This signifies in what house you will be sorted into. There are seven houses in TBA. Can anyone tell me?" Phlegma asked the crowd. One of the students raised his hand and looked nervously at her.

"Tidal, Boulder, Mystery, Strike, Tracker, Sharp, and Stoker." He said quite sheepishly.

"Correct!" Phelgma nodded her head approvingly. She looked over to Mildred and urged her to take over. Mildred took a step, and cleared her throat.

"Next is the word, Gronkle. It signifies the identity study you're supposed to take, given by your examination results. Your warrior training will also be based on this. Now the third word: Dreki." She surveyed the eager faces in the crowd. "You'll soon find out. " A series of groans flitted over the crowd, while Phelgma chuckled softly at the side.

"It's a bit complicated to explain." Mildred reasoned. "Okay, let's start the test! Please form four lines!" Phlegma beamed at the crowd. "Quickly, quickly!" She ushered the students and Mildred assisted them. The students did as what they are told. Stella and Astrid also lined up.

"Step on the platform, please." Mildred guided the first four students to the platform and helped them fit the gear on their heads. She checked if they were properly placed and the wires were intact. The machine whirred back to life and the light bulbs flashed again in succession. "Results: Stand by."

"Stoker, Terror." The robotic voice droned "Ryder." Phelgma quickly switched the machine off. "Sorry, it will only just be for a moment." She apologized at the students on the seats. Phlegma faced the other students again, "Now, you heard another classification which is Ryder." she started.

"There are two classification on the third one. It is either you be a Ryder or a Dreki. In layman's term: Viking and Dragon respectively."

"What? That's like crazy some master and pet thing?" The student sitting one of the chairs piped up and Phlegma shook her head.

"No, no. Vikings and Dragons are equals. To put in simpler terms, this will determine your place in the partnership system here on BA." She explained. The crowd listened to her curiously. She tapped her chin lost in thought, she was finding another way to explain this complex idea. Then she brightened.

"Uh….Oh! Let's put this in this perspective: the seven houses are considered the different buildings in a typical college setting. For example, Gronkle here would be Engineering, Stoker would be Business, Tidal would be Liberal Arts, something like that." She told the crowd. The students nodded their heads in understanding.

"Your identity study would be considered as your Major or your Degree. Under Tracker there would a lot of identity studies, like D. Nadder, Rumblehorn, Mudraker, etc." Phelgma continued,

"Another example would be under Sharp, there would be Timberjack, Stormcutter, and so on. For the partnership, A Ryder should have his or her Dreki, and a Dreki should have his or her own Ryder. Although, at some cases you have to understand that the Ryder has the choice to have or not to have a partner, while the Dreki it is strictly important for them to have a partner at under any cost. You'll learn about its specifics soon enough. Clear?" Phlegma shot Mildred a look, and the girl nodded in understanding. The machine was turned on again, with its lights flickering.

"Let's continue the examination then!" Mildred announced to the crowd cheerfully. The machine gave the results to the first few students in succession. And soon, another batch took the platform. It has been half an hour and the sisters were getting bored by the second, waiting for their turn.

"Ryder," was the only thing that Stella heard when she finally tuned in on the test results of the current batch of students in front of her. Astrid has a scowl plastered on her face. "This is taking forever." She groaned. Astrid was never the patient type. Soon it was finally her turn to take the platform. Stella watched her sister squirm on the chair uncomfortably as the glass bowl was fitted on her head.

"Tracker" The machine beeped and beeped. After a few more minutes, "Hybrid. Ryder." It continued. Stella cocked her head at the side, curious at the result. That's new, she thought to herself. Mildred looked absolutely shell-shocked at first then turned excited. Astrid was just sitting there indifferent at the reactions that elicited from the crowd.

"Interesting. It has been a while since we had a… hybrid." Phlegma helped Astrid off the chair, a big grin on her. Astrid looked at her quizzically.

"Don't worry, lass. It's a good thing. Hel, it's a great thing. Not all can be a hybrid." The Professor reassured her, and patted her shoulder with a laugh. Astrid just nodded her head and went to stand next to Stella who elbowed her on the rib cage, with a snicker on her face.

"Professor, what's a Hybrid?" One student asked and Astrid felt that eyes were on her. Phlegma adjusted her spectacles, and cleared her throat.

"All you have a specific identity study, correct? Hybrids can jump from one house to another. They could either be a Sharp or Mystery and would sit in just fine. Or they could be both." This elicited some hushed whispers from the students, and Phlegma smiled at them. "It's natural talent. Well, as expected from a Hofferson." She observed Astrid's reaction, but the girl's face was indifferent.

Another student raised her hand meekly, and addressed the professor, "Can you study all of the houses?"

"Being a hybrid is quite a feat itself. It takes a new level of skill and brains to be able to master two houses at the very least. But to master all of them, you have either to be a genius or be extremely skilled. " Phelgma replied. Students sneaked a glance at Astrid, some were openly gaping at her in awe, and some are already sending glares her way.

"So that's quite impossible, then." The student supplied. But Phlegma shook her head.

"Oh no, I didn't say that! But to put it into perspective, there is only one student in the History of BA that is known to be studying all of the houses. You'll be surprised. Anyways, let's resume." The professor clapped her hands together, signaling the end of the discussion.

Astrid raised an eyebrow. _Who could have such talent? Better not getting in my way or else_ , she thought to herself.

"You okay?" Stella whispered into her ear, sensing that her sister was tensed. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Astrid replied, as she was jolted from her thoughts, and noticed that the girl named Mildred was looking at their way. "Anyways, I think it's your turn." Stella nodded and climbed up the platform.

As soon as Mildred fitted the glass bowl over head, Stella felt extremely uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on her. She also felt slightly bit pressured since Astrid, as usual, topped it off.

"Tracker, Nadder." The machine whirred. A series of lights flashed and then stopped, Stella waited in baited breath. "Dreki." It finished. Astrid's eyes widened in surprise and her brows knitted in confusion. While Stella, kind of felt a bit disappointed that she didn't get to be a hybrid just like her sister.

"Dreki? There must be some kind of mistake…" She directed the question to Phlegma. Worry creasing her features.

"Hmm…" Dr. Fierce looked at the results on the screen, and scrolled through them. "Nope, it says on the results that she's a Dreki." She turned back to the girl, confirming the result.

Astrid visibly, looked shell-shocked. Mildred gave her a small apologetic smile, and continued herding the next batch of students to the chairs.

"Is there something wrong?" Stella asked her sister, as she returned beside her. Astrid flinched and gave her sister a small smile.

"No, not all. I-I was just surprised that's all. I thought you'd be Ryder, too."

"Kinda hard to step out from shadow now huh, sis?" Stella joked and nudged her on the side. Astrid rolled her eyes and pushed her sister back and laughed.

"Oh, shut it."

As soon as the results were given, the students were again herded back to the Great Hall. Phelgma Fierce started to pass around small boxes made from black velvet. Inside, you can find a round gold flat pin, as big as a dollar coin, with the TBA's insignia and the specific house mascot carved on it.

"Now each of you has an emblem. There are seven houses in the Academy. These houses will serve as your dormitory and identity until you graduate from this school. Is that understood?"

After each student received his or her emblem, the professor also passed around a medium-sized black matte boxes with academy's logo stamped on the lid, which contained the uniforms. Stella opened her box and pouted, "And I thought we'll be wearing civvies." She muttered disappointedly. "This is still part of UK, so I don't know why you thought it would be any different." Astrid laughed.

When everything seems to be in check, Phlegma checked her tablet again. And delivered the last of her welcoming speech.

"Ah, before I forget, you have to be given a warrior alias, a "nickname" as what you might call it." The children gave her confused looks. "I am afraid, you have to ask your house prefects for a brief introduction on that, as I have another duty to finish. All of you are dismissed and have a great stay here at BA." Dr. Fierce noted to the direction of seven pairs of students each wearing their house colors near the door, and left the room in a hurry with Mildred towing behind.

"A nickname?" Stella looked at her sister confused. Astrid shrugged her shoulders, "Beats me."

"The school's a bit funny, why'd you think granddad forced us here?" Stella fiddled with the emblem. Before Astrid could reply, a girl, maybe a year older than Astrid approached them.

"Hi," She started out, her long red bangs covering her left eye. She wore her hair in a short bob. The two sisters snapped their attention to her. "You must be the Hofferson sisters. I heard so much about you two." The girl gushed. "My name is Dagny, and I'm the house prefect for Tracker class."

"Hey, Astrid. " Astrid greeted her.

"And, I'm Stella! Pleased to meet you!" Stella took her hand and happily shook it. "Oh, you don't have your berkian aliases yet?" Dagny looked nonplussed. Astrid cocked an eyebrow at her reaction.

"Yeah, just like most of the students here…right?" Stella asked her confused.

"Legacies usually have their names given to them at an early age. It is especially prevalent in clans. And since Hoffersons are one of the most oldest here on Berk, I figured that you already have them."

"Oh, I see." Astrid replied nonchalantly. "Besides we didn't get to ask our parents since they died two years ago on a freak accident. We just moved back here on Berk." Stella supplied.

"That is very…unfortunate. The Admiral, he may have inkling on it. But don't worry! If you don't have them, then you'll get your nicknames after Loki's Trial or the initial examination" Dagny chuckled. This made Stella more confused more than ever. "Initial examination? For what?" she asked.

Dagny gave a small smile. "I'll explain it some other time. I'm late for my next class. Our dormitory is North of the Great Hall, go left, you'll pass by the garden until you reach the end. You'll see the dorm house there. Your luggage should also be there by now." Dagny started walking away and stopped. She turned around and shouted at the two girls, "Oh! Classes will start at 9:00 am tomorrow, don't be late!" with that she jogged out of the Hall thru the south exit.

"Sooo, want to check out our room?" Stella asked Astrid when crowd thinned out of the hall. The new students were already looking for their dorms. The said girl was still lost in thought. Her sister has been acting quite standoffish ever since the Catalogue.

"Uh, sis? You look pale, are you sure you're-"

"You go ahead and check the rooms, I'll follow you in a minute. I just have to talk to the administration for my schedule." Astrid walked towards the west side of the hall, and gave Stella a ghost smile. Stella nodded at skeptically but choose not to push it.

When Astrid disappeared from the Hall, Stella rummaged through pockets and fished out a crumpled piece of paper. She opened it and studied the guide. "Hopefully, they have good bathrooms." She grumbled and proceeded to the north exit of the Great Hall.

Finn Hofferson took a swig of his brandy as he watched the leaves outside the window of his office, dance to the wind. Albeit the calm vibe he has as his front, a storm was raging inside. _Any second now,_ he thought to himself, as he took note of the seconds ticking in his pocket watch.

"Admiral!" Astrid stormed inside. Finn swiveled his around and finished the last of his brandy to greet his granddaughter. He also took note of the scowl on her face.

"Please take a seat. I want to congratulate you for being a hybrid." He gestured to one of the bergere (it's a chair) in front of his desk. Astrid crossed her arms over her chest and stood rigid in her place.

"That's what not I'm here for." There was bitterness in her voice "…Did you know?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, lass."

"I have a goddamn feeling that you know!" Astrid lost her temper and slammed the desk. But the Admiral wasn't startled at the sudden burst of emotion.

"She-She's a…she's a… Dreki, granddad!" Her eyes were filled with worry and agitation. Finn sighed and got up from his seat. He walked towards the window and stared at the horizon.

"It showed." It was soft as a whisper but Astrid heard it, which sent her into overdrive.

"What do you mean, it showed?! You do know about this!" Astrid raged and demanded for an explanation, even if it means she'll make someone bleed. Finn decided to finally tell her the truth.

"I'm not sure if you can remember, but when you and Stella were children, our military men were hunting for vessels for an advance DNA regeneration program. They need strong bloodlines in order to make this work. If not, they need vessels who are willing to give themselves up." Astrid looked so lost, but she listened intently. Finn continued.

"They were building warriors for the military with metahuman abilities to be used as weapons. It was a very dangerous procedure that cost someone their life if the body rejected the serum." Astrid's eyes widened. "B-But, what does that have to do with Stella?"

"It wasn't supposed to be Stella. They wanted Galvin. I couldn't do anything." Finn gazed at the horizon again, replaying the haunting moment in his mind like a loop.

 _"We'll be back soon." A petite woman with long golden hair and grey eyes handed a wailing little girl to a younger-looking Finn. "Sassa, I think this is preposterous idea! Don't you think that they'll find you?!" The child only cried louder sensing the agitation around her._

 _"Hush now, Stella. Mum and Dad, will be back soon." Sassa kissed the child on the forehead and the little girl immediately stopped crying and snuggled into Finn's chest. "Da," the woman turned to a distressed Finn. "I have to do something. They'll be killing my child!" Finn stared at the bundle that his son-in-law is carrying. "Won't you reconsider this, lass? This is for the betterment of Berk. It is great honor to be serv-"_

 _"Honor? What honor is this? The government is robbing these children their futures! Their fate is sealed, Da! You want that for my son? Your grandchild?" Sassa fury flooding her delicate features._

 _"Sassa, you and I both know that they would be ruthless if they found out. Don't be a traitor to Berk! You will be dead!" Finn tried to drill some sense into his daughter's head. Sassa huffed and walked away._

 _"I rather be dead, than to see them take my son! I will fight 'em bloody monsters as long as I live just to protect my children."_

 _"Mum?" A little girl about five years old, with messy blonde hair and blue eyes came running out and hugged Sassa's leg. "Astrid, take care of Stella for a while. Mum and Dad needs to go somewhere." she hugged the little girl who gave her a curious look. "Galvin's going with you?" she asked. Sassa nodded and walked her to her grandmother._

 _"You'll be mum's little helper for the time being, alright?"_

 _"'Supposed so." Astrid sighed, a bit disappointed that she's not part of the trip. She grabbed Finn's hand and watched Sassa climb the car. "Da, please, whatever happens keep them safe." Her eyes were pleading. Finn held on to his granddaughters tightly. "Please be safe." He whispered as the car revved out of the manor driveway._

 _The raids happened after that day. Children were taken from their homes. Some parents pleaded to spare their children from the war. Others gave theirs up for the sake of honor. The harvesting happened in sporadic instances. It was only a matter of time when the officials would come to the Hofferson home and collect the child. It befell on a Wednesday night, when everything was starting to die down._

 _Finn's heart raced in panic when he heard several knocks on their door, but as a veteran military warrior, he stayed calm. He nodded at Helga, who also projected the same calm demeanor as her spouse. He slowly opened the door and greeted young men dressed in black military uniforms._

 _"Admiral," one of the young officers greeted him with a salute. Finn nodded in acknowledgement. "Pardon to disturb you at this hour, but we've come to talk to the parents of Galvin Hofferson."_

 _"Sorry to inform you, but the parents of Galvin are not here. Please leave, for you interrupted our sleep." Finn was already closing the door when a hand shot up and held the door._

 _"I beg your pardon, Sir?"_

 _"They're not here. Finn told him off sternly. "Keep your hands off my door, lad."_

 _"Sorry Admiral, but the rules are-"_

 _"I know what the damn rules are! You cannot take the child without the parents' permission!"_

 _The officers seemed to be taken aback "Actually Sir, we can." The young man pushed the door back and opened it forcefully. "Search the house!" he barked to his comrades who flooded inside the manor._

 _"This is my house! You have no right!" Finn bellowed, face red with rage. He never had been disrespected like that. "You have no right to question us, Admiral." The commanding officer handed him a paper and bounded up the stairs. Finn could not believe his eyes, the prime minister granted the extraction whether there's permission or not._

 _"Pawpaw?" Astrid peeked at the doorway of her room. "Astrid get back inside!" Finn commanded and ushered her in. "What's going on?" Astrid asked curiously. Her grandfather was acting strange. "Go inside, don't make a peep." The Admiral placed Astrid inside a wooden trunk._

 _"Are we playing hide and seek?" Astrid smiled at him, excitedly. The voices upstairs are getting louder. They'll come down, soon! Finn worried. "Yes, lass. Now, be quiet. So, Nana wouldn't know where you are. Count to 100 and you can come out." Finn kissed Astrid on her forehead and carefully closed the lid. He then took a small blanket and draped it over the trunk._

 _Footsteps were echoing down the stairs. The Admiral quickly stepped out the room and closed the door. He blocked the way and glared at the men with his arms crossed._

 _"Sir, the child's not here!" One officer emerged from the shelter outside the manor. "Admiral, where is Galvin? What you're doing is treachery! As ordered by the Prime Minister, you must comply with the rules!" The commanding officer angrily demanded._

 _"I don't know where they went!"_

 _The commander officer sighed, "Then, we have no choice but to choose a replacement." Finn visibly balked. "There are no more male children!_

 _"According to the new decree, female children are added to The Harvesting."_

 _Finn heard Helga's scream at one of the rooms down the hallway. "Sir we found a child." Another officer came reporting back to their commander. With a nod, other officers jogged to the room. Finn rushed behind them, fearing for the worst. He grabbed his axe as he passed by his study._

 _"What are you doing?! Get your hands off her!" Helga was hell-bent and clutched the child to her chest. But one officer was tugging the girl's arm rather roughly, that made the little girl cry._

 _"Get your filthy hands off my granddaughter, or I'll blast yer buttocks off my house!" He wielded his axe in front of the officers. One suddenly pulled a gun and aimed at Finn. Helga suddenly stopped struggling and looked horrified._

 _"Try and stop us, you'll be dead. We do not take orders from you Admiral." Came the steely voice of the commander. "You should be glad to be given this privilege. Otherwise you'll be stripped of your titles and will be casted out of the island." Finn wasn't able to move, he has no problems being shot, but the bastard might harm his wife or the lass._

 _"He can't do that! That's dictatorship!"_

 _"He already did, Sir." A cold smile graced the lips of the commander. "I suggest if you want to keep your honor and your family name, you do what is right." His assistant opened a briefcase and a stack of pictures to Finn._

 _It was pictures of generals and high-ranking officials who were murdered together with their families. Some are even children. Finn gritted his teeth, both of his hands are tied. He looked at Helga who was shaking her head in disbelief and clutched the girl tighter to her chest._

 _Finn looked at her apologetically. He can't win this battle. There's too much at stake._

 _"Go," Finn resigned and turned his back to them. Helga screamed again and thrashed as the officers pulled the child away from her._

 _"For honor," the commanding officer patted the crying child on the head. And injected her a syringe filled with green liquid. Stella convulsed for a minute then stopped and dropped on the floor completely knocked out. One officer pulled out stamp-like device and pulled up the girl's shirt, exposing her back. In one swift motion, the stamp met Stella's flesh and left an imprint._

 _"Phase One, complete. We'll be collecting her soon." Soon after that the officers left the manor. Helga dropped on the floor and cradled the child in between sobs._

 _The next day, Sassa, together with her husband immediately came home. It was Helga who broke the news to them. Sassa ran to Stella and stripped off her top. And at the little girl's back was a tattoo in the shape of Berk's crest._

 _"No!" Sassa wailed in disbelief. "Sassa ple-" Finn tried to talk to his adoptive daughter. Sassa turned around in rage to face the Admiral "This is all YOUR fault! You gave them permission! How could you, Da?!"_

 _"I-I have no choice." Finn's head fell in shame. Sassa's body wrecked in sobs "You had a choice!"_

 _"When?" she asked him, her eyes dead. Finn's eyes dropped to the ground. "When are they going to slaughter my child?!" She asked him again filled with agony. Finn sighed, "5 years from now, they'll collect Stella."_

 _There was an impregnate silence afterwards. Stella stopped crying and became quiet. Finn tried to approach her. "Lass?"_

 _"We're leaving." The woman said suddenly, her voice cold. "Sassa, please no, child." Finn pleaded and grabbed her by the shoulder. Sassa turned around and looked at her father in the eye, her face devoid of any emotion. "We. Are. LEAVING." She shrugged his hand off._

 _Her husband and Helga came rushing down the stairs with the luggage. Sassa picked up Stella, and grabbed a hold of Astrid's hand._

 _"Sassa! Don't do this!" Finn begged his daughter. He looked at Helga for help but his wife, looked away and went back up the stairs._

 _"I don't want to do anything with you or with this goddamn island. I'm taking my children and we're leaving this hell hole." Sassa deposited the children inside the car and climbed inside. Finn ran outside of the house with a pained expression on his face._

 _"Goodbye." She clicked the windows close and the car drove out of the driveway. Finn ran after the car, begging his daughter to come back._

 _"Sassa!"_

 _That was a decade ago._

Finn was still looking out his window, that incident had haunted him forever. Even more so, when Sassa had died.

"Th-That's the reason why we left Berk. They were running away from this. And you brought us back?" It finally dawned on Astrid what her parents did for them, for Stella. This was never about the inheritance. Their grandfather will no doubt will throw them to the wolves!

"You let your own granddaughter turn into a weapon? What kind of a grandfather are you?! I-I should have not let you bring us here. We should have stayed in England!" she felt betrayed.

"You cannot change her destiny. She is what she is." Finn poured himself another drink, trying to drown out the nightmares.

"She'll be killed!"

"And she will die if you don't let nature take its course! It is only a matter of time Astrid when _**it**_ will manifest!" The Admiral finally snapped. "You can hate me all you want lass, but I paid for the dues and I'm still paying for it. If I could only bring back time, I would have never let it happen." Astrid snickered and glared the old man in front of her.

Nobody spoke, and the Admiral returned to his usual cold and strict demeanor. Astrid on the other hand, kept her silence. Finn took a sit and arranged the papers on his desk.

"You are dismissed, Camicazi. Report to me after your training." Astrid just stared at him, and shook her head in disbelief. Even at the time like this, he addressed her as a soldier. She took her leave and walked to the door. Before she left, she turned around gave the Admiral a cold hard glare.

"Coward. No wonder mum left you." And slammed the door behind her. From inside the room, there was a sound of glass shattering.

* * *

Stay tuned for the next chapter! You'll meet the other dragons!


End file.
